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The report examines the potential for implementing OECMs (meccs) in Brazil to achieve the '30x30' biodiversity goals. It analyzes various spatial mechanisms, including protected areas (UCs), Indigenous lands (TIs), Quilombola territories (TQs), and private lands. The document highlights that while formal protected areas are established, significant conservation occurs in traditional territories and private lands that lack formal recognition. It identifies land tenure insecurity as a primary obstacle to inclusive conservation and proposes that the mecc framework be used to prioritize land regularization for traditional peoples and communities (PCTs). The report concludes with recommendations to integrate meccs with social policies, ensure equitable governance, and provide technical and financial support to local actors.

The report examines Peru's conservation landscape, identifying a significant reliance on the National System of State Natural Protected Areas (SINANPE) while exploring the potential of OECMs to include indigenous peoples, local communities, and private actors. It identifies critical threats such as illegal mining and deforestation, and highlights a tension between conservation policies and extractivist state actions. The document proposes a roadmap for operationalizing OECMs through improved enabling conditions, tailored incentives, and multi-level collaborative governance.

The briefing presents an economic case for investing in natural capital, asserting that nature-based solutions can provide over 50% of the cost-effective global mitigation needed for a 2°C pathway. It highlights that wetlands and forests generate trillions in annual ecosystem services, far exceeding the costs of their protection and the adaptation finance needs of developing countries. The text notes that while rehabilitating nature and transforming food systems can yield returns between 6.8 and 51 times the investment, current financial flows remain misaligned, with significant funding still directed toward harmful environmental subsidies.

The 'Wetlands in Sápmi' project emphasizes the critical importance of Arctic wetlands for forest Sámi reindeer herders, providing essential grazing, calving grounds, and climate respite. These ecosystems also serve as global carbon sinks, storing approximately 20% of the world's carbon. The document advocates for Participatory Topological Mapping (PTM) to capture the dynamic social-ecological relationships that conventional GIS mapping misses, thereby preventing the exploitation of areas erroneously assumed to be unused. It recommends that policymakers implement Indigenous engagement frameworks, data-driven protections for critical herding areas, and integrated land management plans to enhance climate resilience and preserve Sámi cultural heritage.

The report argues that the Amazon forest is a strategic economic asset for Brazil because it regulates the 'flying rivers' that distribute rainfall across the country. Deforestation of approximately 20% of the biome has already led to significant financial losses in the hydroelectric sector and increases vulnerability in agriculture, urban water systems, and logistics. The authors conclude that protecting the forest is a national strategic imperative to ensure economic stability and development.

ClientEarth critiques the European Commission's 'Roadmap towards Nature Credits', warning that a market for biodiversity credits could undermine EU environmental law if not strictly separated from regulatory obligations and offsetting. The organization argues that the biodiversity financing gap—estimated at 19 billion euros per year in the EU—should first be addressed by scaling up public funds and redirecting the 48 billion euros in annual harmful subsidies. ClientEarth recommends that any future credit system be strictly outcome-based, exclude 'business-as-usual' practices, and prohibit the use of credits for ecological compensation (offsetting) to avoid 'net loss' of biodiversity. It further highlights the scientific complexity of measuring biodiversity compared to carbon, cautioning against reductionist proxy metrics that could lead to greenwashing.

The report evaluates 17 types of natural infrastructure across four functional families (cover, basins, watercourses, and groundwater) to support water management in the Canadian Prairies. It argues that while natural assets like grasslands and wetlands are essential, constructed analogues such as bioretention and green roofs are necessary in urban areas to bridge the infrastructure gap. The document provides performance rankings and technical data to help decision-makers build a more robust business case for nature-based solutions over traditional grey infrastructure.

The project sought to create an enabling environment and design parametric insurance products for coastal communities in Fiji and Papua New Guinea to mitigate climate-related shocks. While it successfully produced technical research, guidance documents, and increased financial literacy among a small number of participants, it failed to deploy a viable insurance product or meet its ambitious beneficiary targets. Success was higher in Fiji, where institutional interest was stronger, whereas political instability and a lack of community readiness led to the cessation of activities in Papua New Guinea. The project is rated as 'Satisfactory' overall, noted for high cost-efficiency relative to its US$ 1 million budget, but hampered by unrealistic targets and insufficient in-country funding.

The report examines the three types of non-deterioration obligations in the Nature Restoration Regulation (NRL): continuous improvement, non-deterioration of good status, and pre-restoration non-deterioration. It argues that these obligations are not merely effort-based but require 'appropriate measures' and are essential for the long-term success of ecosystem restoration. The analysis highlights the interplay between the NRL and the Habitats Directive, particularly regarding Natura 2000 sites, and critiques the uniform National Restoration Plan (NRP) format for providing inadequate guidance on demonstrating compliance with these obligations. It also details the strict criteria for derogations, such as force majeure and overriding public interest, emphasizing that they must be interpreted narrowly to avoid undermining overall restoration targets.

The report analyzes how Brazilian states in the Amazon biome are transitioning from federal dependence to active leadership in forest restoration. While states have successfully implemented mandatory restoration frameworks tied to the Forest Code and pioneered PES and REDD+ programs, the report identifies significant fragmentation. Key barriers include burdensome bureaucracy for native species forestry, a lack of integration with carbon markets (except in Pará), and inconsistent regulations across states that hinder landscape-scale projects. Pará is highlighted as the leader with the most comprehensive framework, including a dedicated State Plan for the Restoration of Native Vegetation.

The Hudson Bay Lowlands in northeastern Manitoba, covering over 67,000 square kilometres, provide a minimum of CAD 247.7 million in annual economic value and store an estimated 7 billion tonnes of soil organic carbon valued at CAD 1.2 trillion. The region supports over 250 wildlife species and generates CAD 131 million in tourism revenue. Five Indigenous Nations are working to establish an Indigenous Protected Area to safeguard the region, which would help Canada and Manitoba meet their goal of protecting 30% of terrestrial and inland water areas by 2030.

The document argues that while total eradication of invasive carp in the Mississippi River Basin is unlikely, creating sustained market demand—particularly in the growing US pet food sector—can suppress carp density, reduce the risk of spread into the Great Lakes, and improve biodiversity. It highlights the need for a robust supply chain that supports commercial fishers through innovative business models like co-ops and 'hub and spoke' processing. The report also outlines a plan to scale these market-based approaches to other invasive species through a new framework for assessing economic and ecological potential.

The guide outlines a framework for sustainable linear infrastructure (LI) development in snow leopard habitats, emphasizing the mitigation hierarchy—avoid, minimize, mitigate, restore, and offset. It details strategies across the project life cycle, from policy development and spatial planning to construction and maintenance, to reduce habitat fragmentation, wildlife-vehicle collisions, and other ecological disturbances. The document highlights critical knowledge gaps regarding snow leopard-specific crossing structures and calls for multidisciplinary collaboration and inclusive community consultation to protect biodiversity and ecosystem services.

The IAI is seeking nominations for its Expert List to provide technical consultation to regional stakeholders. Nominees must possess authoritative knowledge in one of eight strategic scientific themes: food security, energy security, water security, biodiversity and ecosystem services, climate action, health and wellbeing, poverty and equity, or clean air, water and soils. The list currently includes former and current members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and the Science and Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC), as well as IAI-funded researchers. Nominations must be submitted by June 6, 2025.

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) is expanding its Expert List to provide regional actors with a curated directory of professionals for technical consultations. Nominees must possess authoritative knowledge in one of eight priority themes: Food Security, Energy Security, Water Security, Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, Climate Action, Health and Well-Being, Poverty and Equity, or Clean Air, Water, and Soils. The list currently comprises investigators from IAI-funded projects and members of the Scientific Advisory Committee (SAC) and Science-Policy Advisory Committee (SPAC). Parties must submit nominations by 6 June 2025.

The document introduces a mathematical model for quantifying the physical and economic impacts of road disruptions, such as flooding and landslides, and assessing the value of nature-based solutions in mitigating these risks. The model incorporates climate forecasts and spatially explicit assessments of ecosystem services to provide a comprehensive cost-benefit analysis of resilience investments. It has been piloted in two Indonesian locations and used to train technical staff at the Ministry of National Development Planning (BAPPENAS).

The report introduces an Excel-based model designed to quantify the financial and economic viability of nature-based solutions (NBI), such as reforestation and mangrove restoration, to enhance road resilience against climate-induced hazards like floods and landslides in Indonesia. Moving beyond traditional CBAs, the model incorporates 'non-road benefits'—including socio-economic externalities like mental health, market access for crops and livestock, and air pollution—to provide a holistic view of investment value. The model was piloted in two distinct locations: Pekanbaru (an urban-rural connection) and West Kalimantan (a rural area). Results demonstrate that while conventional CBAs focusing only on road-related costs often show that costs outweigh benefits, the inclusion of non-road benefits makes these investments economically viable in all tested scenarios. For instance, in the Pekanbaru base case, the benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) rose to 11.45 when non-road benefits were included.

The document outlines a five-step process for assessing nature-based solutions (NbS), moving from system mapping and climate analysis to the quantification of benefits and the identification of financing structures. It emphasizes the use of systems thinking to capture multifunctional co-benefits that traditional 'grey' infrastructure often overlooks. The guide provides a toolbox of quantification and risk assessment tools and illustrates the application of the SAVi methodology through case studies in the Netherlands, Burkina Faso, Italy, Greece, Belgium, and Colombia.

The analysis finds that investing in nature-based infrastructure (NBI) in Drakenstein, South Africa, can reduce flood damages by up to USD 36 million against costs of USD 8.65 million over 25 years. The study indicates a benefit-cost ratio of up to 5:1 (ZAR 5 return for every ZAR 1 invested), with net benefits reaching ZAR 600 million (USD 34.2 million). These benefits include avoided flood damages, job creation, and improved mental health, with NBI proving most valuable in climate scenarios characterized by frequent and intense floods.

The paper argues that because political borders rarely align with ecological boundaries, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) framework can serve as a basis for transboundary conservation. By focusing on shared ecosystem services—such as groundwater, pollination, and cultural values—the MA framework allows countries to frame conservation around mutual interests, engage diverse stakeholders, and assess tradeoffs between different service uses.